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Saturday, February 21, 2015

Happy Saturday!!! Big A is out of town at a football conference this weekend, so the kids and I are enjoying the fresh snow that fell last night! After the 15 minute snow suit application for the littles and I, and then sledding and traipsing through the snow, we are pooped!!! ...but in a totally good way!!!

We're enjoying our lunch and I was thinking about heading up to sew...and then I realized that blogging about sewing from my comfy chair sounds WAY more fun! ;)

I really got into sewing this past year. Hobby Lobby kept putting their Simplicity patterns on sale for $.99, so obviously I had to buy ALL THE PATTERNS!!! Ha! At least that's how I felt at the time! Plus, I've been collecting gorgeous fabrics from my trip to Chicago, and Crimson Tate downtown, and of course, Hobby Lobby, so I put them all to good use!!!

My niece, Story, had a Princess birthday party last June, and I used one of my new patterns to make Liv a princess dress!!! It is fashioned after the Tinker Bell fairy dresses, and I must say, I can't actually still believe that I made this!!! She looked absolutely beautiful fluttering around outside...plus it's all pink, which makes it even more awesome ;)

This dress was from a Project Runway pattern for kids! So, of course, I worked furiously in the dining room at my sewing machine during nap time for daaaaaaaayyys, pretending that I was in a clutch "make it work" moment and only had one day to complete my task! ;) My friend, Hilary, gave me this gorgeous fabric because...she has a boy :/ So, I did her proud and made Liv this fancy dress!

This summer while at Hancock Fabrics, I found these amazing graphic prints of bikes and sewing machines, so I whipped this little beauty up during a nap time so she could meander the park in style.

Oh. This dress. Be still my heart! I stumbled on this fabric and about fell over!!! ... I probably get WAY too excited about things, which is also what the lady cutting my fabric must have thought as I stood there gushing over it!!!

I used this tutorial from Pinterest!!! As she is getting bigger, she can still fit into it, although this summer it will probably be a shirt!

After that, I decided to try something for myself!!! The pattern said "easy" on the front, so I figured I'd give it a whirl! Not knowing what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised!!! I really like being able to say that I made my clothes! :D

I had found this tutorial on Pinterest, and this adorable polka dot fabric around the same time, and I LOVE this little tunic!!!

She debuted it at Thanksgiving this year, and can you believe that she did not stand still even ONCE for me to get a great picture of her in it?!?! (I can! ;)

I also dabbled in Kimonos this year!!! They are the perfect light layer to add pizazz to any plain outfit!!!

Once it got cold enough, I began making Kozy Kimonos out of fleece to keep us all nice and toasty...which they do!

And, of course, if you follow me at all, you know that I've been making a gaggle of Babushka Softies this year!!! This is just one group of the MANY I've made that are actually being sold in our friend's restaurant shop!

I thought I'd throw this one in for fun :) Our small group had an Ugly Christmas Sweater party this year, so I channeled my inner Ann, and recreated a combo of outfits she made for us when we were little!! My sweater both sparkled and shined, and Andy, well, his snowman was very happy! LOL!!!

Here are my Valentines Babushkas that have a pocket on the front for you to leave notes to your little love in!!!

Oh. Livie's 2nd Birthday Dress!!! This dress was made from fabrics that I got in Chicago, from a pack of fat quarters I got for Christmas, some from my friend, Hilary, and adorable little Babushkas on the apron!

Since Liv had a Doll Party this year, I made each girl a small flannel Babushka softie to take home!!!

Thank you, if you made it through this whole post! ha! Let me know if you have any tutorials that I should try!

Friday, February 20, 2015

Aaaahhhhh! I've had my sketchbook for The Sketchbook Project since August, and I have just been so stumped on what to put in it this year!!! To be honest, I've actually spent a lot of time sewing these last few months, so I haven't been working on my other "art!"

So, I finally decided the other day to do some collaborative pieces with the kids! We've done this before, and it is just so much fun!!! I let the kids draw, and then I fill in with watercolor and pen. They turn out beautifully, and I love that it is something that we created together!

I've recently seen how much Livie enjoys coloring, and it makes me excited that she may enjoy my loves as well!!! ...However, she's sort of missing WHERE her art should be created!!! T-man never had a problem sticking to the "only draw on paper" rule, but Liv is really getting into the whole Body Art movement!

I could not stop laughing when I turned around from putting dishes away the other morning to find a purple mustachioed toddler staring back at me! ...She's got quite the personality, this one!

So, my sketchbook is on it's way, but there is still much work to be done!